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Are you inspired by Alex Vero's ambitions, or slightly insulted?
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You see guys like Mike working and training exceptionally hard and running sub 2:30 and sub 70 for the HM (congrats by the way!) and many others working exceptionally hard to run fast times for their whole lives and then somebody walks in and says "I think there's a chance I can run under 2:15 ina couple of years".
I don't think that he has even an idea of what a combination of talent and training he needs in order to run under 2:15.
I think if this chap went to the English Schools cross-country and raced in the senior race it might wake him up a little. Literally 150-200 people who would beat him comfortably just in a 2 year age bracket and before they even hit their best form. Most won't continue on, but that's the best place to see the sheer amount of talent he's up against.
2:15 is not impossible for a reasonable standard runner to achieve, but it requires 5-10 years of damn hard training by anyone who's not immenseley talented.
Mike just went under 2:30 last year and is an athlete that (I think he'd agree) gets marathon training pretty damn near perfect. Vero ran over 11 minutes slower than him over the HM and has no where near his aerobic base or specialised marathon conditioning and experience yet expects to run just as fast over the whole marathon?
I wish the guy luck in improving himself as a runner, but he's totally deluding himself.
(Where have you been?) Hiding again?
Good luck whatever,
DCD.
I can't say anything because I myself have set myself some tough targets... last year was 2:50 in NY Marathon, when my only previous time was 3:34 in Paris 2006.. and was 14st 4lbs... in New York 2006, I did 2:55:05, so wasn't far off on a tough curse. I've since set myself 2:36 at Edinburgh this year, which I'm now thinking isn't on... I'm realistic and will try for as close as possible and my attitude is, aim high, and minimise how far away from the target.
Vero is going to find it extremely tough... and he's got less than 3 weeks until Paris 2007... not alot of time. His half time is nice, but the only problem is, he hasn't done one quicker since... and if it was me personally, I'g change my target from 2:30 to 2:40 or something, literally, because I think he's capable of 2:40, but if he goes out at 2:30 pace, I think he won't get under 3 hours... you can't just "hold on" in a marathon... that's the problem.
However... I think given his attitude and effort... I can see him going close to sub 2:30 by the end of the year. I'm fully behind him, why not... he's not hurting anyone, he's not meaning to insult anyone... he's making a documentary on it, and it'll make for intersting viewing surely?
One part of me says what's he on? The other part wishes him all the luck in the world, and WHAT IF HE DID IT? Statistics and a knowledge of running says he won't.. even he's doubtful, but lets look at it this way...
... even if he got to sub 2:30 in London 2008, wouldn't that be a fantastic achievment?
It's a debate that will go on and on, but lets just reserve judgement until he's done Paris... this'll give us a better view. Good luck to the fella... he's improved by leaps and bounds as it is...
Pug
Although I agree with those who say he's probably expecting to achieve too much too quickly, I admire him for giving it his best shot. A lot of human achievement has been the result of mavericks daring to punch above their weight.
I wish him well!
I mean its no skin off my back either way cos I'm not that involved in the grander scheme of things, although I wish him well. But can't help but think what would happen if in a really important race a relative 'nobody' flies along and wins in an amazing time and then says he's only been running for a couple of years...?!Would people wish him/her well or would everyone be really hacked off that someone somehow managed in two years what other could not reach in twenty? I can understand why it would be hard to be generous when someone achieves with relative ease what others struggle so hard for but... isn't that just life?
What trying to say that whilst he may be a bit full of himself, and may well not achieve what he aims for, the fact that he has gone from where he was to where he is now is amazing. Whether he achieves his ultimate goal or not doesnt bother me....
He gives me the hope that with determination and grit you can get quite a long way.......neither of which i have in big enough quantities to attain what he already has......
Good luck to him.
This in no way denegrates anyone else. It is his own personal target. I know other people who work incredibly hard to acheive their goals...they push themselves very very hard and i have the utmost respect for them.
I suspect he may find that his target is impossible, and that will prove a lot of people right. But I suppose there is a very small chance that he'll do it, and then we'll all be amazed and inspired by what can be achieved with some natural talent and a lot of hard work.
Either way, he will not get an Olympic place if he doesn't make the qualifying time, so he is not taking anything away from someone more deserving.
We all know that running is an honest sport - you get out what you put in, and there are no shortcuts. If you are good enough and you work hard enough (in the right way) you will achieve. If not, you won't.
I will be watching with interest.
If as he has stated he gives up after less than 2 yrs becuase he doesn't make his 2:30 milestone, then that can either be presented as "if at first you don't succeed, give up" - in which case he is not the sort of hero I would like my children to be inspired by.
If though, he sticks with it, and acknowledges the huge improvments he's made in a small time but also the diminishing returns that only come from sustained training, then I will be happy to reference him to anyone who is looking for a source of inspiration.
So Mr Vero - if you're reading this - seems to me you have two chances of winning here:
1. What you actually achieve.
2. What sort of an impression you make when you present it.
I understand it, he won’t be making a film unless he runs faster than 2 hrs 30 mins in three weeks’ time. So we’ll never get to hear the other side of it, which might be “I gave it a go and improved a lot but, do you know what? It’s actually not that easy and, in fact, even if I trained for seven years, I might not do it.”
The media just isn't interested in that sort of story.
He's chosen a star and he's shooting for it, and I'll be cheering loudly if he reaches it
I see the site has that often used theodore rosevelt qoute that you always see sites and blogs as an excuse for failure.
Olympic standard marathon a year after a 1:22 half? Hmmmm... is that Bob Hope playing golf?
also... he had flu last Thursday Friday and still ran a 1:22 at reading pacing a friend around... bear that in mind ;-)
Pug
It takes dedication and blimming hard work to achieve a 2.30 marathon never mind what is needed for 2.15.
You do not give up if you fail at first attempt!!
You keep giving it your best shot!!
I know lots of 2.30 marathon runners and you guys have my ultimate respect the training you guys do is mind blowing.
Miles makes smiles.
Progression
I agree with your stats which is why a 2:30 in Paris is not on if Woking was a true hard run race.
Nothing against the guy and good luck ot him but I do believe such statements of intent do belittle the incredibly hard work put in by runners who achieve good class peformances.
So any arbitary cut off by him without attempting to see it through to an ultimate test devalues his own aspiration.
Go on - lets see what you can do in 2008 -and then measure it against current statements of intent. Now that will be interesting.........................:-)
Good luck to him I say!
Pug
Will be intresting to see how and IF he achieves it .Its a very big ask but respect to the guy for giving it a go!
I see it mainly from an athlete development point of view. There is a general agreed concept across the sport called Long Term Athlete Development (LTAD, Balyi). Alex is still at the L2T (Learn to Train stage), it takes many many years to reach the T2W (Train to win stage). Unfortunately, there is no short cut.
However, it would be interested to see how much further he can progress. Like everybody I am sure he just tries to be the best he can be.
To put things into perspective. A friend of mine is 2:15h runner and has qualified for the CG. He has been running for most of his life and was already world champion as junior. Knowing him quite well I would say it takes quite a bit of extra dedication and determination, especially at that level. For example, he would rather loose out on other opportunities in order to improve his running.
I suspect it's the same here. I'm seeing running as something simple - you have the basic genetic endowment, you train intensively, you do well. But, as URR points out, it's not like that at all. The long-term physical and mental adaptations are far more subtle and there's no way of speeding up the process.
If he can get anywhere close to his target, he's got a tremendous base to build on and I like to think that he'll be inspired not to give up if he doesn't quite get there this time.
But if you look under his training tab he's got all of his distances clocked in KMs. In teh blurb he talks about building up to doing 130 miles per week, which is what you'd expect of an elite marathoner. Now I'm not being nasty but his peak was 100 miles amd teh average is closer to 100Kms (around 40% down).
It's easy to make grand statements but it doesn't look like they are being matched by training and if he's not doing teh time on his feet he has no hope.
Look like you won't be seeing any documentary. His website says he's revised his target for Paris to 2 hrs 35 mins and that that time will not result in the funding he needs to make the documetary.
As reported above, he claims to have been in bed with flu on Thu and Fri, but "jogged" round the last ten miles of the HM. That'll be "man flu", I expect.
He says "However whatever happens in Paris I will still carry on and endeavour to get as close to my target as is possible."
That'll make a good headline "Ordinary man fails to make UK Olympic squad".
As far as I'm aware, he's not belittled the challenge nor has he appeared arrogant. So why are some peeps annoyed with him? Could it be that they are frightened he might just make it (I don't think he will), which would make them reflect negatively about themselves?
ITFAC